For a number of years, oral surgeons have been correcting retrognathic and prognathic mandible conditions by performing a sagittal split ostotomy during which the ramus bone is split and either lengthened or shortened to correct the abnormal condition by shifting the mandible forwardly or rearwardly as may be required. When the masseter is stripped away from the ramus and the ramus is split, the condyle will move out of its seated relationship in the temporal fossa and it is extremely difficult to be sure that the condyle is returned to its proper reseated position and orientation after the split-apart ramus bone segments are realigned and connected after making the desired length correction.
This invention has been developed to provide a positive indexing reference with respect to the maxilla to permit the accurate repositioning of the condyle in the temporal fossa.